The wreckage of the plane where Emiliano Sala's body was found is to be examined again by deep-sea divers searching for the body of missing pilot David Ibbotson.

Mr Ibbotson and Cardiff City signing Sala were travelling in the same light aircraft which initially vanished near the Channel Islands on January 21, before its wreckage was located on the seabed of the English Channel nearly a fortnight later.

Sala's body was recovered from amid the wreck, and his funeral took place in Argentina at the weekend.

Mr Ibbotson remains unaccounted for almost a month after the plane initially vanished from radar.

The search is being conducted by David Mearns, the man who located the wreckage of the Piper PA-46 Malibu almost two weeks after it vanished, in a private underwater search on behalf of the Sala family.

A deep-sea dive is expected to begin next week, with helicopter searches of coastal areas to begin this week.

On Tuesday, Mr Mearns said: "I have been assisting the family of pilot David Ibbotson to hopefully locate his body.

Marine Scientist David Mearns (Image: PA)

"This search is technically very different to the underwater search for the Piper Malibu aircraft. It is dependent on good weather, neap tides and flight permits. The family needs space to plan.

"The 'search' will include a dive to the wreck to rule out 100% that David's body is there and a helicopter search of inaccessible coastal areas in the Channel Islands using trained pilots and observers. All contingent on good weather, permits, etc."

Emiliano Sala and David Ibbotson

After air accident investigators confirmed poor weather conditions meant they would not be bringing the aircraft wreckage to the surface, an online crowdfunding page was set up by Mr Ibbotson's family to fund a new search.

The total raised so far stands at more than £247,000.

The family confirmed on Tuesday their plans for deep-sea divers to begin a new search.